Among the various chemical reactions occurring in industrial reactors, the use of catalytic gas-solid reactions is widespread. A packed bed reactor is commonly used for these types of reactions. Conventional packed bed reactors are associated with various difficulties and disadvantages, including pressure drop, intra particle diffusion limitations, flow channeling, and heat transfer limitations.
Structured catalyst reactors are frequently used to address these challenges. These structured catalyst reactors are commonly utilized when there is a need for controlled endothermic or exothermic reactions. However, existing structured catalyst reactors, while demonstrating higher performance in comparison to the packed bed reactors, still have a number of drawbacks, including high cost, weight, thermal resistance, and heat management, among others.
Structured catalyst reactors are commonly used in the Fischer-Tropsch catalytic process. The Fisher-Tropsch process involves the conversion of carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas, known as syngas, to a mixture of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons (carrying a number of —CH2— moieties). The feed (syngas) for the Fisher-Tropsch process can originate from any gasification source, for example, a natural gas, biomass, or coal. Important products of the Fisher-Tropsch reaction include gaseous hydrocarbons, such as lower olefins, paraffins, or alcohols, and liquid hydrocarbons, such as higher olefins, paraffins and alcohols. The Fisher-Tropsch reaction is highly exothermic (releasing about 145 KJ per each “CH2” moiety formed) and therefore effective heat transfer and temperature controls are important prerequisites for the successful operation. Furthermore, the reaction operability range, with pressures between 1-30 bar and temperatures ranging from 200° C. to 350° C., requires an additional control to prevent formation of local hot spots responsible for the deterioration of the catalyst. Thus, there is a need for continuous heat removal during the reaction to prevent metallic catalyst deactivation and formation of undesirable products.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a reactor that provides an efficient control over endothermic and exothermic chemical reactions, such as those carried out in the presence of a catalyst. For example, there is a need for a reactor for the Fischer-Tropsch catalytic processing of the syngas that ensures continuous heat removal during the catalytic reaction. Still further, there is a need for a method of efficiently performing the Fischer-Tropsch catalytic process, by continuous removal of the resultant heat.
Accordingly, a reactor and method useful for the efficient catalytic processing and control over endothermic and exothermic chemical reactions are described herein.